Shepherding cowboy wrangles the flock

A sheep farmer rounds up a flock of sheep on horseback near Lynmouth Bay on the edge of Exmoor in North Devon. Lambing is from December to April and in Devon shearing is typically in May and June. Most sheep are bred for lamb and mutton meat, although for hundreds of years wool was a highly valued commodity. Sheepherding is one of the oldest occupations thought to have begun over 5000 years ago.

The duty of a shepherd is to protect the flock from predators and to guide it to market for shearing and slaughter. Unlike sheep farmers, shepherds are largely nomadic and travel with their flock. In Britain predators have been reduced and hardy breeds of sheep are frequently left alone for long periods of time and moved to fresh pasture when necessary. The sheep farmer differs from a shepherd because the flock is only tended during lambing and shearing seasons.